Deceit and Darkness
by fluffykitty12
Summary: When Jayden finally adjusts to Daze's coming and excepted her as Jess's best friend and an informal family member to him. But when something strange is afoot, and words are said, will he loose Jess forever? Will they ever come to terms? Sequel to The Other One.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"I dare you." Daze whispered. Jess sighed. "I'm not sure it's a good idea." She said simply.

Daze shrugged. "it's something to do, at least. Aren't you bored?"

She nodded. "Yeah, but I have no idea how to use snow symbol power besides ice shard and blizzard."

Daze nodded. "Yeah, so now's a great time to learn."

She shook her head. 'No. I won't do it. You remember the last time I tried to master my snow symbol power."

Daze rolled her eyes. "It wasn't that bad, Jessie.'

"Yes it was! Now stop it!" jess said, eyes burning with rage. She climbed down the ladder and walked outside, through the gates, into the woods.

Daze sighed as she climbed down into the living room.

"Hey, Daze, you know what's up with Jess?" Mike asked. Daze sighed. "just old fears, is all. Nothing major."

Mike nodded. "Okay, then. Oh, Jayden wants to see you in the training yard."

Daze slipped out to find Jayden waiting for her, katana stick in hand.

"You wanted to see me, Jay?" she asked.

Jayden nodded. "You're a good swordsman, Daze, but you could be a master. Ji elected I do private duels with you for an hour or two each day, help you develop your technique."

Daze nodded. "Can Jessie come?" she asked.

Jayden shook his head. "Jess has her sword training well I n hand. This is just to help you improve faster.'

Daze nodded and grabbed a katana stick. It was going to be a long two hours.

Jess sighed as she stared down the wooded hill at the lake. It was far off, a long walk from the Sheba house, and an exhausting trek to make. But she needed to be alone, some place where Daze would never find her. So she'd come here.

She looked out at the glistening water, wistful. She wanted t master her snow symbol power, but ti was exhausting, and the last time she'd almost killed Daze. She wasn't about to risk that again. That was why she'd only showed Jayden moves she'd mastered.

Something out her Sheba and white ranger blood always seemed to clash. Snow was a delicate element, like powdery flakes sparkling on a winter day. But it was also deadly, it's beauty misleading. And her Sheba fire symbol was also deadly, but i9t was obvious, the brute force of fire always a warning.

Yet something about her always made her mess up her snow symbol power. The gracefulness of snow and the anger and pure power of fire. How was she supposed to master both? Besides that, emotion was key. If she had one wrong thought, one mislead feeling, it seemed like the entire symbol would go horrible wrong. And she'd always end up almost killing someone.

She wanted to learn her snow symbol, truly, but she was too scared she'd hurt someone in the process. She took a deep breath and drew the symbol. Snowflakes exploded around her.

Just then something grabbed her, and in shock she pulled free, whirling.

A nylock stood, his jagged teeth stretching up to his nose.

"You're a ranger." He muttered, through his tusk-like teeth.

She panted. How much had he seen? Did he know she was Sheba and white ranger?

Blades came from his hands, like he was wolverine, and she didn't morph. Best if he didn't know who she was.

Suddenly she was hi by a blast of pure darkness that sent her flying back. She gasped. How had he done that? It had hit her right in the arm, too….

She scrambled to her feet. Fire symbol, or snow?

"Phoenix flame!" she drew the symbol and the bird of fire dissolved into him.

"What?" she breathed.

The fire nylock grinned. "Yes, I'm your worst nightmare, Sheba."

She wasn't just a Sheba. She had one chance….

She started writing out the symbol for Blizzard, working furiously.

"After you, I'll take your puny cousin out next. Master Xandred said there were two Sheba's, now."

"_AHHHHHHH!_" Rage rose up in her at the mention of him hurting Jayden, so fierce she couldn't control it. She drew two more strokes of the symbol and sent it flying.

The nylock screamed as icicles pierced his chest.

She drew another symbol, and the creature was frozen in ice. She stood, drained, terrified, staring at him.

The pain he was in was clear on his frozen face. Carefully, she looked at him, touched his arm…. She grabbed her sword and slashed the ice, and the nylock was nothing. She stared at the pile of ice he had once been.

She had done this. Her chest was heaving, her rage was abating…. She was terrified suddenly, completely terrified. _She _ had done it. She'd killed a nylock, out of pure range and hatred, hadn't given it a second though.

"No…." she whispered, backing up, horrified. She turned and ran, not stopping until she reached a mossy rock and falling onto it, weeping. She'd killed the nylock. She was supposed to do that, but she'd done it while he was helpless, frozen by her deadly symbol, after she'd lost control and already stabbed him with icicles. She gassed a breath, finally.

Who was she? It seemed like she was losing it, losing everything. She'd killed that nylock when he was unarmed and lost control, let her rage and hate take over. Was she on the road to becoming a nylock herself? She didn't know for once. Her samurizer rang, but she'd already sensed the dark symbol power and was running towards it.

he'd destroy it, get rid of it, somehow, prove to herself she was still human. She fought through the brush, morphing as she went, until she reached the construction site.

The nylock was lizard like, with spikes all over him, silver spikes that seemed to protrude far too much, and dark blue eyes.

Jayden and the others were already attacking.

"Jess." Jayden sighed with relief when he saw her. She didn't respond, only raced forward. She could talk to Jayden later- now, she'd have to fight.

"Stop it." She said coldly, as her blade met the Nylock's.

The creature laughed. "So feisty. That's big talk for such a little snowflake, isn't it, white ranger?"

She felt the rage rise within her again, but forced it down.

She was breathing heavily, she realized, holding back her rage.

"Jess!" Jayden yelled, and she turned to look at him. While she was distracted, the nylock struck, sending her flying into the building so hard that she de-morphed.

"No!" Daze jumped over, de-morphing as she looked at the rubble around her best friend. No. No weakness,. Simply fight. Jess staggered to her feet again, finding her blade.

Jayden and the others were circling the monster, now.

She felt a pang. Jayden had left her here, she realized, while he'd gone to fight the nylock. Why had he done that? Daze had been the only one to come for her.

"You okay, Jessie?"

"Yeah, I'm fine….' She had to destroy that nylock, and she raced forward.

Suddenly, she felt it, the pain coursing through her arm, so crippling she had to fight not to double over.

The nylock knocked Mike and Kevin down, and they both de-morphed. Metal whips flew from his as he struck, and Jayden, Emily, and Antonio were hurrying to block the slashes.

The Nylock's eyes locked on her, suddenly, on her arm.

"You…." He rumbled with pleasure, taking a step towards her. She noticed what he was looking at. Her sleeve had rolled up, revealing dark brand in her skin.

She quickly moved, flying at him, plunging her sword into his side. He yelled, and she stepped back into a fighting stance. He was weaker, now, but he could still keep the other rangers at bay. She stepped into ready stance.

The nylock grinned. "Join me, white ranger. Join me."

She felt the burning pain in her room again and struggled not to cry out. It burned, so much, she didn't want to fight the nylock, she wanted to turn…. What was she ding? Her heart was racing, she was shaking, slightly.

_Fight._ That thought propelled her forward and she finished the nylock, and in the explosion drew a symbol to seal him, so that he wouldn't reach mega mode.

"Jess!" Jayden rushed over, de-morphing as he went. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She started back towards the Sheba house before he could check her over, finding herself slightly ticked off at him. Why did he ask? He didn't care, or he would have gone to get her from the rubble, not Daze.

"Jessie!" Daze ran up beside her. "You- you did a great job ion that nylock." Daze offered.

Jess nodded. "Thanks. I… never mind." It was clear things were still, rocky between them.

She saw the spark of excitement in Daze's eyes dull with the realization, but she didn't really care. She strode it the Sheba house and turned on the shower, carefully looking at her arm.

There was the dark mark, branded in her flesh in black.

It was of a symbol, but it would probably heal in a few days. She inhaled the steam of the bathroom slowly, tried to get a handle on herself. She was fine. She would be fine. She stepped out of the shower and dressed. Her arm seemed to burn suddenly.

Jayden knocked on the door.

"Jess, you want pizza?' he asked. "Sure.' She said through grit teeth, trying to get past the pain. She pulled on a long-sleeved shirt to hide the wound and slipped into the hallway.

She didn't feel like talking, but that seemed all anyone wanted to do.

Jayden noticed her long sleeves. She never wore long sleeves, but he didn't comment on it, laughing at Antonio's jokes,. They were funny, but she didn't feel like laughing.

Her head was pounding, and when Jayden suggested she and Daze go to bed, she simply obeyed and fell into bed, letting sleep take her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

She woke up and looked out the window. Jayden was dueling Dale in the early morning light…. She felt anoth3r pangf. They normally dueled early in the morning.

She pulled on her traditional training clothes and atarted down the stairs, eating a bowl of ceral. Emily sat down across from her.

"Hey, Jessie, want to duel me today?' she asked.

"Sure." She said, nodding. No. she didn't want to. Emily was weak. She could easily beat Emily, could beat every one of them, even Daze. She could beat everyone but Jayden…."

"Hey guys." Jayden sat down across form them and started to dig into a bowl of cereal.

"Sword training today, alright?"

She nodded and turned back to her cereal. She didn't want to look at Jayden for some reason. Wolf zord sat beside her, unusually quiet. She could tell Jayden was watching her, but she left before he could ask her if she was alright,. He didn't care.

She found her katana stick and started hitting a dummy easily until Ji assembled them.

"Alright, we're sparring today.' He said. He turned to the girls. "Jess, daze, you'll fight first."

Jess nodded and Daze bounded into the ring, katana stick ready.

"I've gotten a ton better, Jessie. You'll have a tough time with me." Daze said, grinning.

"We'll see…." She said, allowing a small smile to creep onto her lips. Daze was getting far too cocky….

Daze stepped forward and she side stepped, sword ready. She fakes a lunge and manage to get a blow on Daze's shoulder.

Daze looked surprised at her sudden speed, but stepped back to the line. She easily swept daze off her feet with her stick the next time, and, four mintues later, had her blade leveled with Daze's throat.

Daze looked surprised, panting, then grinned. "Nice fight." Jess nodded simply and helped her friend up, though she didn't want to. ":You left your left side open." She said simply.

She beath all the other rangers as well, until she came up to Jayden.

She was terrified, suddenly, her arm started to burn, she didn't want to fight him.

But Jayden moved forward and she met his blade.

"Come on, Jess, you can do beter." Jayden tsuntwed.

She _could _do better. He was so cocky, so overconfident…. She managed to dive under his blade and came up on one knee behind him, striking his arm.

"Wow." Antonio said.

Jayden turned, looking both amused and annoyed. "That was a bit crazy, Jess." He said, getting back into stance.

"It worked, though." She supplied, stepping back into stance.

She managed to get two more points, while Jayden got one.

"You're doing well today." Jayden commented.

She nodded, simply stepping back into stance.

Jayden pressed forward with a series of advanced combos, and she simply sidestepped and started to drive him back, faking as strike right. He was a sitting duck, now, on one knee….

She stepped back, struggling to hold onto her katana stick.

"Jess?" Jayden stood. "What happened there? You had me."

She shrugged, forcing herself to look calm. "nothing. We both knew it was over. No need to really strike." She turned and walked off the floor, placing her stick in its proper place on the rack and retreating to her room. She threw herself on top of the cover and took deep, shaking breaths. She'd lied.

When she could have simply struck the final blow, she'd suddenly wanted to strike hard, bury a real blade in Jayden's chest….. She'd hesitated.

She was angry, so angry, ll the time, it seemed. Anger was a problem with fire symbol powers, yes, but it was normally manageable. She hadn't been this angry in a long time. What was happening to her? She sighed in frustration. She couldn't understand, no one would understand.

She simply kept to herself for the rest of the day, and no one bothered her.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Jess, time to get up." Jayden said. It was around seven thirty.

"No." she said, rolling over.

"Jess? What do you mean no?"

She gave him a look. "No. I don't feel like it."

"Jess, you have to train…."

"Why? I'm fine, I'm good in battle, we all know it. What's the point? I'd rather think.'

Jayden looked a bit surprised. "think about what?"

"Can't I have thoughts without you wanting to know what they're all about? I just want a day that goes by where you don't ask me if I'm okay or if I'm normal and stuff. I want to be _Alone…._" She said, dragging the last word out like he was dumb.

"Jess….' He started.

"Stop." She said simply.

A moment later, she heard him walk away. She was relieved.

Her anger still made her too dangerous to be around, she figured. If she was in training, she just might lose it and attack someone. And she'd just watched Jayden fighting Daze for the last two hours. If Daze had been in the ruble, would he have left the fight to egt her out? She didn't know. But he wouldn't understand, she figured lying was the best option.

Ji came up a moment later, but she feigned sleep. Ji felt her forehead, but she knew she wasn't sick, and so did he. A moment later he left, too.

So she was alone.

"Where's Jess?" Antonio asked quietly as they gathered on the training floor.

"In her rom. Said she needs some time to think." He said simply. But the conversation he'd had with ji a few minutes earlier troubled him.

"Ji, what's gotten into her?" he asked.

Ji shrugged. "I don't know, Jayden. Maybe she's just growing up. When you were a teenager, you had your bad days."

Jayden sighed. "Maybe. I don't know. I'm worried about her."

Ji nodded. "Me too. But we just have to wait until it passes or she talks to someone."

Jayden nodded, and went outside. Now the conversation played back, and he wondered what his little cousin was going through. Why hadn't she talked to him, or Mia, or Emily, or someone? Why not daze?

He'd noticed the girls had been distant from one another since a few days ago. Maybe they were having a fight. But he figured it went deeper than that.

He sighed and turned back to training, not knowing what else to do.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

She didn't want to train today, just got dressed and went downstairs.; maybe she;d control herself today. Maybe it'd be alright.

She'd already missed breakfast, so she stood on the porch, hoping to be unnoticed.

Just then, she felt something tug her arm.

Daze.

"Come on." Daze said quietly.

She sighed. She didn't want to do this, didn't feel like it, or anything, but daze stopped on the training floor.

"Use your snow symbol power." Daze said.

"What?' she asked shocked. How could Daze have the audacity to try this again?

"No."

"Use it!" Daze insisted, stepping back.

"No! I told you, never! Why are you doing this to me?"

Her yelling brought the others outside.

"Jess, you have to try!' Daze said.

"no, I don't! I'm not ready! I'll kill someone!"

"Darkness!" Daze yelled, drawing the attack symbol and sending it flying towards Jess.

Jess dodge, panting.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"New Moon! You'll have to use your snow power to save yourself, Jessie."

She dodged the slash.

"Daze, stop it!" Kevin cried, too afraid to get in either girl's way.

Daze shook her head. "it has to be done, Kevin."

She drew another symbol, and dark mist surrounded them.

Jess's fire symbol burned through it.

"Stop it, Daze! I don't want to hurt you.' She said simply. Btu right now, she was seriously considering it.

Daze shook her head. "it's for your own good, Jessie."

"Both of you, stop it!" Ji ordered.

Jess realized all she'd been doing was defending against Daze's attacks. How could they not see that?

"Daze, I'm warning you…."

"Warn this!" A black bird materialized from the darkness and swooped towards her.

"Phoenix flame!" Jess's bird of fire met it, and they both dissolved.

Daze shrouded them in dark mist again.

Jess easily burned through it this time, flipping towards Daze.

Daze panicked and drew another symbol, and a figure materialized from darkness. Jess instantly ignited it, and it burned away.

Before Daze could draw another symbol, she tackled her, pinning her to the ground.

"how could you?" she asked, staring at Daze.

Jayden was rushing over now, along with the rest of the team.

"Jessie, I…."

"Don't say that! You _Knew, _daze you _knew, Of all the people here. I can't believe you!"_

"Both of you, calm down!" Jayden ordered. "We can work this out…."

"no, we can't. We never can! You knew, Daze, and you pushed me. I could have lost it, killed everyone! Do you know what would happen then? Nylocks would take over! Every consider that you weren't just risking yourself, but the entire team! You didn't even realize that, did you? Well guess what, Daze, it's not a game anymore! We're not little kids! And we're not even friends anymore. I hate you!"

Jess turned and ran, leaving Daze and the rest of the team standing there, shocked.

"I… Daze, what was she talking about?"

Daze started to cry.

"I… I wanted her to use her snow symbol power, but she almost killed me a while ago, and she's afraid of it, and I figured she'd have to sue it….'

Ji placed an arm around Daze's shoulders. "you did what you thought was right, even if it wasn't.'

Mike nodded. "Yeah, don't feel bad. Jess went overboard there. She doesn't really hate you. She didn't mean it."

Daze took a shuddering breath "she meant it. I know Jessie, and she _definitely _meant it."

Jayden shook his head. "no, she didn't. She'll have to apologize, she'll have to come back here sooner or later. Come on, let's train, now. The nylock are all up to something, not attacks in a few days, and we have to be ready."

Slowly, they started to train.

She was running, faster than ever, through the woods, tears streaming down her face. She hated it, hated herself, hated Daze, hatred the entire team for thinking it was partially her fault. She needed to be alone, she knew, or she'd lose control and someone would get hurt.

She found a tree and used her fire power, until it was just a pile of ash. She slumped down against a large tree, exhausted, and watched the ants crawl up the bark.

She gathered pinecones, picked daisies, but nothing worked. Finally, she just sat until dark, knowing she'd return.

When dusk was on its way, she started the trek back to the Sheba house.

She jumped the fence and started soundlessly towards the attic window when she heard it. Katana sticks clashing.

"Jay, do you think she really hates me?" the clashing had stopped. She heard there footfalls as they went to put the sticks away.

"No, Daze, I don't. I think Jess needs to realize some things. She needs time without battle always looming to clear her head."

Daze sounded shocked. "you mean, you're going to take away her samurizer?"

Jayden nodded. She was watching now, horrified.

"Jess isn't ready to be a samurai." He said. In silence, they went back inside

She started after them, feeling Jayden's words hit her like a physical blow. Her older cousin didn't think she was ready to be a samurai after all. She turned and ran out the gates, back into the woods, crying, feeling something new inside her. Misery. So incredible, so entire, it seemed to envelope her, extinguish her rage for a few moments. She reached the side of another little pond and fell to her knees, staring at her reflection in the moonlight.

What was wrong with her? She sobbed into the water, making pitiful noises and not caring if anyone saw her.

She heard a twig snap behind her, and turned, still crying.

It was a nylock. "I can help you, sorrowful samurai. Your cousin has turned on you, your team hates you, we can help you succeed.

Thoughts were racing through her mind now, until suddenly, it all made sense.

She nodded and stood. "I… yes…. I'm not a samurai anymore, but that doesn't mean I can't be powerful.'

The nylock smiled. "Good. Come, my student, you have much to learn."

She walked beside him deeper into the forest.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Jayden was starting to get worried when she hadn't returned by noon the next day.

"You don't think she got hurt or something, do you?" He asked Antonio.

Antonio shrugged. "no idea, jay,. You two can feel one another's pain sometimes, right? You tell me."

Jayden shook his head. "I can't feel anything coming from her, it's like she disappeared."

Just then, the gap alarm went off.

They all raced to the map. "East end. They're incredible amounts of symbol power radiating from there. Be careful' Ji said.

Jayden nodded. "We will be, mentor. If jess comes by, you know what to do."

Ji nodded. The entire team already knew Jess was going to have her samurizer taken away. They all didn't like the idea, but it had to be done.

They raced outside, towards east end.

The nylock was blood read, with light blue scales covering him like feathers, and he had an orange beak protruding form him skull, as well as what looked like feathers surrounding him in a sort for protective skirt.

His feathers flew about, trapping people in cages constructed from them.

"Leave those people alone, you jerk!" Emily cried.

The nylock smiled. "I wouldn't threaten me, if I were you."

"Why not?" Kevin asked.

"Because I have something of value to you."

Jess suddenly appeared behind him, fully morphed.

Mia gasped. "Jess! Are you alright?" Jayden asked. She didn't answer, simply stood staring straight ahead.

"Jess? Jess! Answer me!"

"Well, I think that's a good amount of misery. Come, pet. We'll be back later." Jess took his waiting hand and they disappeared in a cloud of mist.

The cages holding people disappeared.

"What just happened?" Mike asked.

They quickly returned to the Sheba house.

"Ji, how did that nylock capture her?" Jayden asked.

Ji shook his head. "I have no idea. But she's a hostage now. We can't do anything against the nylock until she'd freed."

Antonio nodded. "Why doesn't she just free herself? I mean, she's strong enough."

Jayden and Kevin exchanged nervous glances.

"Maybe she's possessed by some sort of controlling symbol. I mean, you saw how mindless she looked. Maybe if we talk to her next time, we can break it."

Jayden nodded. "it's worth a shot, anyways. We just have to wait for her and that nylock to attack."

She sighed as she looked around the camp. The dark brand in her skin kept getting bigger, but it would all be over soon. Dranner, the nylock she was with, returned from the gap.

"Time to strike again, white ranger. It's time for you to get your revenge. If you do a god job, the master promises he'll do you the honor of making you half nylock."

She grinned. "Wonderful."

She knew it was almost time.

The gap sensor went off right outside the mall, and the rangers arrived. Jess wasn't morphed this time. Better to only carry her sword.

"jess?" Jayden asked.

She smiled slightly.

'Jess? Do you remember me? Remember all those good times?" there was something pleading in his voice, she realized.

"Of course I remember you." She said.

Dranner waited.

Jayden paused, a bit confused. "Then, why are you with the nylock?'

"Like you don't know." She retorted. She saw the confusion on his face. "Because I'm not meant to be a samurai."

She charged.

She'd never had to fight off all the rangers at once, but it was clear her word had shaken Jayden.

Se easily blocked a blow from Emily and kicked her away, ducked under Kevin and knocked him off his feet, and flipped Mike onto the ground.

Antonio, daze, and Jayden circled her.

"We don't want to hurt you, Jess." Jayden said carefully.

"Too bad for you, then." She whirled and kicked Antonio in the chest, sending him flying back, and Jayden and Daze stared.

"Jessie, stop." Daze said.

"Don't call me Jessie. You're nothing to me." She said.

The hurt was clear on Daze's face, though.

"Darkness bind!" Daze drew the symbol and jess ignited herself, burning off the mist before it settled. Jayden went behind her and tried to grab her, but she launched forward and tackled Daze, holding her blade at her throat.

"Jessie." Daze said, looking scared and pleading.

Suddenly she really wanted to finish Daze, but knew she couldn't..

Jayden was moving in to strike her now, and she rolled off of Daze and met his blow, getting to her feet.

"Jess, stop this right now." Jayden said firmly.

"I don't take orders from you anymore, Jayden." She replied hotly, meeting another of his strikes and dodging behind him. She could finish him now, she felt the urge to kill again, but she back stepped on purpose.

"Jess, I'm warning you…." Jayden said,.

"Warm this! Phoenix flame!"

Jayden dodged the bird of fire and moved in, slashing her arm.

She stepped back, momentarily surprised.

"Jess, are you alright?' Jayden's voice was shaking.

She moved again, managing to force him back.

"Jess, don't do this**. **Please.' Jayden said, voice pleading.

"Don't waste your breath.' She said simply.

Jayden kicked her and sent her flying, and she drew a symbol quickly. "Ice shard!"

"What?" Jayden had never faced her snow attacks before, and he was panicking, she knew. She'd have to have perfect control….

Icicles landed all around Jayden, making It so he couldn't move.

She got to her feet and grabbed her sword.

Dranner applauded and stepped up beside her. "Which one do you want to destroy first, my friend?"  
She pointed with her sword. "Red."

"No!" Kevin staggered, trying to get to his feet, but she kicked him in the ribs, and he fell again. She approached the cage icicles.

"It ends now, cousin.' She said simply.

"Jess, why would you do this?" Jayden asked.

"You know why. I'm not a samurai, but I'm pretty darn good at being evil."

"Jessie!" Daze's agonized cry reached her from where her friend lay.

"Jessie, please!" Daze cried.

"I'm not Jessie anymore." She said, drawing back her sword.

"No!" They all chorused.

She swung her blade and turned, plunging it into Dranner's chest. He staggered and looked up at her, beady eyes wide with shock.

"You… you traitor!" he cried.

"I'm not a traitor if I never was with you in the first place." She replied, drawing a symbol and sealing him. She pulled her blade from his chest and he disappeared into ash.

The icicles that trapped Jayden disappeared.

They all demorphed, staring.

"Jess?" Jayden asked. She fell to her knees. Her arm was burning again….

"Jess! Jess, tell me what hurts!" Jayden was shaking her now, trying to get her to talk.

She cried out in pain and pulled away.

"D-don't… touch me…." She panted.

"I… Jess, don't you forgive me?" he asked.

Then he noticed the burn marks his hands had left on her arms.

"My gosh…. I didn't use fire symbol power on you…." Jayden said.

She shook her head. "Dark… symbol…. Daze, sorry…." She panted.

Daze rushed over beside her.

"I… Jessie?"

"Yeah?" Jess panted.

"Are you okay?"

Kevin was kneeling beside her now, trying to get her to talk.

"So, you're not a traitor?" Mike asked. Jess shook her head, handing her samurizer to Jayden.

"Rangers together, samurai forever….' She panted, letting a small smile cross her lips.

She screamed as the dark mark on her arm burned and everything blurred.

"Jess! Hang on jess, alright?" She heard Jayden's voice screaming, strong arms picking her up, felt something carrying her, and then everything was black.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"What's wrong with her, Ji?" Jayden asked, nervous.

Ji stared, with eyed, at the black symbol burned in her arm.

"Darkness symbol. It can potentially turn it's victim evil and make them attack people."

Mike stared. "so that's why she was so crazy earlier?"

Ji nodded. "Yes. She wasn't able to tell you because she didn't know what was going on herself. It's amazing that she hasn't turned and attacked one of you seriously."

Jayden shrugged. "I don't know. But she could have killed me and Daze, but she didn't."

Ji nodded. "Restraint. She has much of it. And, she's been burned by you, Jayden.'

Jayden nodded. "I didn't mean to, I just touched her…."

"It's the fire symbol power. It was literally trying to destroy her from the inside out. The only thing that's saved her is her snow symbol power. Fire and darkness are natural enemies."

Daze looked surprised. "Then what about us? I mean, we've been best friends forever."

Ji nodded. "Her snow symbol power must have counteracted and allowed you two to be friends. But anyways, when she went dark you two naturally repelled. She's fighting it off now."

Jayden looked down at his little cousin. She was laying frighteningly still, her face pale, a wet cloth on her forehead.. Veins of black seemed to infect her arm, coming from the black symbol burned into her skin.

"Can you save her?' he asked.

Ji shook his head. "It's a matter of willpower now. She's literally fighting for every bit of goodness she has. Our only hope is that she's strong enough to do it."

Kevin looked downcast. "Or she'll turn evil?"

Ji shook his head. "I n some people, goodness is so strong that if they lose, they'd rather die than become evil. Most likely, if she senses she's lost the battle, she'll use her fire power to destroy herself.'

Jayden sat beside her carefully.

"How long until we know?" he asked.

Ji shrugged. "It could take weeks, really, depending on how strong she is. All we can do it wait."

Jayden sat beside her, as did Daze. He didn't leave her, only sat at watched ever change, every movement, every time she thrashed or cried out.

Daze paced carefully while Jayden wrapped her in a blanket and held her, making sure to avoid her bare skin so he wouldn't burn her.

It took four days.

Emily forced Jayden to go and eat in the kitchen on the second day, while she watched over Jess.

"Jayden!" Emily yelled for him, and he ran inside the room.

"is she alright?"

Emily stared. "I have no idea." Wolf zord and Lion zord had both sat down beside her, both motionless.

Jayden turned to Ji. "What does that mean?" he asked.

Ji just shook his head. "I don't know." He said, and left.

On the third day, se screamed bloody murder and shook, weeping, still not waking up. All Jayden could do was hold her while she lashed out, not able to comfort her in her terrified sleep.

Daze wrapped her arms around her friend on the fourth day and sang quietly.

"There's a black bear cub outside,

I named him Clyde

Grandpa says to leave it alone,

But it's so nice and squishy,

And not full grown,

His mom is gone,

Mom is dead,

She kept killing sheep,

A farmer shot her in the head,

But we won't give up,

We won't give in,

This black bear cub,

Will be our friend…."

Daze blinked back tears quietly, and Jess mumbled something.

"He's a very squishy bear,

And he's got silky black hair,

He only mauled me twice,

So he's very nice…."

"Jayden! _Jayden!_" Daze yelled. Jayden raced in.

"She just started singing.!" Daze exclaimed.

The other had gathered around cautiously.

Jayden looked doubtful.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Daze nodded. She sang,

"Clyde the black bear cub,

Really just needs some love,

And a great big hug…."

"And a scrub in the tub….' Jess muttered.

Jayden stared, then grinned.

"does this mean she's alright, Ji?"

Ji nodded. "Seems like it."

At nine at night, she woke up.

She groaned slightly.

"Hey, Jessie." Jayden said quietly.

She blinked. "Hey. Did I really go crazy and stuff? Because I guess I'm not really a samurai anymore."

Jayden shook his head. "you were attacked in the woods, I take it. You couldn't help it, and you were just misunderstood. Besides, you fought off that dark symbol. Anyone who can do that, deserves to be a samurai ranger." Jayden said, handing her her samurizer.

She held it and grinned, exhausted.

"thanks, Jay.' She said. She crawled onto his lap and drifted off to sleep.


End file.
